TY - JOUR

T1 - Theorizing Gender in the Face of Social Change

T2 - Is There Anything Essential About Essentialism?

AU - Morton, Thomas A.

AU - Postmes, Tom

AU - Haslam, S. Alexander

AU - Hornsey, Matthew J.

PY - 2009/3/1

Y1 - 2009/3/1

N2 - The authors examine how beliefs about the stability of the social hierarchy moderate the link between sexism and essentialist beliefs about gender and how the expression of essentialist beliefs might reciprocally affect the social structure. Studies 1 (N = 240) and 2 (N = 143) presented gender-based inequality as stable, changing, or changed. In both studies, sexism was positively associated with essentialism only among men and only when inequality was presented as changing. Study 3 (N = 552) explored the possible consequences of expressing essentialist theories for social change. Exposure to essentialist theories increased both men's and women's acceptance of inequality. Exposure further increased men's support for discriminatory practices and boosted their self-esteem. These patterns demonstrate that although essentialism is linked to prejudice, this link is itself not essential. Rather, essentialism may be invoked strategically to protect higher status when this is threatened by change and may be successful in so doing.

AB - The authors examine how beliefs about the stability of the social hierarchy moderate the link between sexism and essentialist beliefs about gender and how the expression of essentialist beliefs might reciprocally affect the social structure. Studies 1 (N = 240) and 2 (N = 143) presented gender-based inequality as stable, changing, or changed. In both studies, sexism was positively associated with essentialism only among men and only when inequality was presented as changing. Study 3 (N = 552) explored the possible consequences of expressing essentialist theories for social change. Exposure to essentialist theories increased both men's and women's acceptance of inequality. Exposure further increased men's support for discriminatory practices and boosted their self-esteem. These patterns demonstrate that although essentialism is linked to prejudice, this link is itself not essential. Rather, essentialism may be invoked strategically to protect higher status when this is threatened by change and may be successful in so doing.

KW - discrimination

KW - essentialism

KW - sexism

KW - social change

KW - social stability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=62649098325&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/a0012966

DO - 10.1037/a0012966

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19254110

AN - SCOPUS:62649098325

VL - 96

SP - 653

EP - 664

JO - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

JF - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

SN - 0022-3514

IS - 3

ER -